How To Make Silky Ganache With A Nutty Hazelnut Cream Layer
Written by Bhavana Verma | October 9, 2025
A silky ganache is always a fun addition to desserts. With just a drizzle of ganache, any dessert, like a cake, pastry, or even fruit, taste delicious. A simple addition of chocolate ganache makes even the simplest desserts look like a gourmet treat. This is why, when you want to add a special touch and festive appeal to your homemade desserts, you can do it with the addition of chocolate ganache.
There are numerous uses of chocolate ganache that you'll be amazed by the options. Apart from being a drizzle, chocolate ganache is used as a dip, a filling, a topping, a coating, and even as a filling for the center of treats like truffles and mithai. To make the treats delicious, you just need to add chocolate ganache to it and watch the magic happen. It is always handy to have chocolate ganache in your fridge so you can just heat it up and use it for your desserts. For a fun presentation performance, you can serve hot ganache on the side or drizzle it when plating any dessert.
Now the question is, how can you make a perfect silky ganache at home that is more than traditional ganache and gives you a depth of flavors? The answer is this easy recipe for dark chocolate ganache with hazelnut cream. With the nutty depth of hazelnuts and the richness of dark chocolate, this ganache is all you need to make your treats extra delicious. When chocolate ganache is already a lovely addition to your treats, imagine how good it will taste with the addition of hazelnut flavor. It's not just any regular chocolate ganache; it comes with the nutty depth that surprises you with every bite.
Check out the recipe below and make a perfectly silky and smooth chocolate ganache with hazelnut cream.
Ingredients
For the Hazelnut Cream Layer:
- ¾ cup roasted hazelnuts, finely ground
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1–2 tbsp heavy cream for a smoother texture
- For the Chocolate Ganache:
- 200g semi-sweet or dark chocolate, finely chopped
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter (for extra shine)
Method:
Step 1: Make the Hazelnut Cream
Roast hazelnuts first until they are golden and fragrant. Blend the roasted hazelnuts into a fine paste in a food processor. Roasting activates the fats, which helps in making the thick and gooey paste. Blend until it becomes smooth. Add 1 tbsp heavy cream to loosen the thickness. Spoon the hazelnut layer at the base of the serving dish and set it in the fridge. If you want to use hazelnut cream as the top layer, you can add it later on the chocolate layer.
Step 2: Make the Silky Ganache
Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Don't boil the cream, you just need it to be hot enough to melt the chocolate. Now pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 1-2 minutes. Once it has melted, stir to make it smooth and add a little butter for glossiness.
Step 3: Assemble
Pour the warm ganache over the chilled hazelnut cream layer. Gently spread it out evenly with a spatula. Let it set at room temperature for 15–20 minutes first and then chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour until fully set. You can also choose to make the ganache runny and not frozen if you want to use it as a drizzle over other desserts. That’s completely up to you how you want to plate it.
Step 4: Serve
Fill thick ganache in mini mason jars for a rustic look. Top off with a dollop of whipped cream. Use as a filling for cake layers, parfaits, or tarts. Top with crushed hazelnuts, flakes of sea salt, and a few chocolate shavings for garnish. You can also use berries as a garnish to bring a pop of color and give it a fruity dimension.
Storage Tips:
If you want to savor the ganache later or store it for future use, you can do so by storing it in a glass airtight container and keeping it refrigerated. It will stay perfect for up to 5 days. Before placing it in the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes to prevent it from forming white streaks.